Welcome to Giants of the Faith episode 60. This is the podcast where we explore the lives and works of some of the most influential Christian figures in history. My name is Robert Daniels and I'm the host of this show. We've finished our 10 episode series on hymn writers and today we are going to talk about Matthew Henry, a British Nonconformist minister and author who wrote one of the most famous and influential biblical commentaries of all time. If you don't know him from his commentaries, you might know him from this famous quote: The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved. That's a beautiful sentiment and does much to demonstrate the character of this godly man.
Matthew Henry was born prematurely on October 18th, 1662, in Wales. His early birth would lead to health struggles in his early life. He was the second son of Philip and Kathrine Henry, who were devout Puritans, and he also had four sisters. His father was a preacher who had been ejected from his parish by King Charles II for refusing to conform to the Church of England. His mother was a godly woman who taught him to read and pray from an early age. His aunt was Sarah Savage, the diarist, who we may feature on a future multi-episode.
Matthew Henry showed remarkable intelligence and piety as a child. He learned Latin at age three, Greek at age nine, and Hebrew at age eleven. He also memorized large portions of Scripture and devotional books. He had a tender conscience and a fervent love for God. I think it's very interesting that so many of those that we consider Giants were challenged academically at a young age. It makes me wonder what disservice we as parents, grandparents, and the modern Church are doing to our children by not challenging them or expecting excellence from them.
Anyway, at age 18, his father sent me to study for the ministry under Thomas Doolittle, a prominent Nonconformist tutor in London. Under persecution, Doolittle was forced to move his academy and Henry returned to his home in Chester. Three years later he returned to London, but this time to study law at Gray's Inn. But it wasn't long before he abandoned this pursuit and decided to commit himself to serving the Lord. In June of 1686 he went home to Chester and began preaching in homes and various places. The local Presbyterian church asked him to serve as their pastor and so, in March of 1687, he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister.
Henry’s ministry was marked by faithful exposition of God’s Word, practical application of biblical truths, and warm pastoral care for his flock. Just as an aside here - if that's not what your pastor is like then you should pray about finding one that is. His church grew quickly and other churches put in calls for his services. Between 1699 and 1710 he received, and rejected, offers from at least four London churches and one Manchester one.
He also engaged in public debates with Quakers, Roman Catholics, Socinians, and Deists among others. He defended the doctrines of grace against Arminianism and Antinomianism. That's a lot of groups so let's briefly unpack what each is. We'll take them one-by-one in the order the debates took place and then finish with the Arminians and Antinomians.
In 1698, he debated with a Quaker named John Gratton at Chester. The Quakers, or the Religious Society of Friends, were founded by George Fox in England in the 17th century. He and other early Quakers believed that the presence of God exists in every person and that everyone had the Light of Christ within them. They rejected elaborate religious ceremonies, official clergy, honorific titles and legal oaths. They also believed in spiritual equality for men and women, and women could speak out during worship. They practiced pacifism and played a key role in the abolition of slavery and the women's rights movements. They faced persecution for their beliefs and many of them migrated to America, where William Penn founded Pennsylvania as a safe place for Quakers. Henry challenged Gratton’s views on the inner light, the Scriptures, and Christ’s divinity.
In 1701, he debated with a Roman Catholic priest named John Constable at Warrington. He argued against Constable’s claims about papal authority, transubstantiation, and purgatory. These are probably well understood by most of this audience so I'll skip the explanation of Catholic beliefs.
Then in 1706, Henry debated with a Socinian named Thomas Emlyn at Chester. The Socinians were a Nontrinitarian Christian group that emerged in the 16th century from the Italian Anabaptist movement. They were named after Lelio Sozzini and his nephew Fausto Sozzini, who developed and spread their theological system. They denied the doctrine of the Trinity and the pre-existence of Christ, and affirmed that Jesus was a mere man, divine by office rather than by nature. They also rejected the traditional doctrines of original sin, atonement, and hell, and taught that the soul dies with the body but will be resurrected for those who obey Jesus' commandments. They advocated for the separation of church and state, the importance of moral life, the minimization of dogma, and the rationality of Christian doctrine. They faced persecution for their beliefs and many of them migrated to Poland, where they formed the Polish Brethren. In 1658, they were expelled from Poland by the Catholic Counter-Reformation and dispersed to other countries, such as Transylvania, the Netherlands, Germany, and England. They influenced the development of Unitarianism and Universalism in Europe and America. Henry argued for the doctrine of the Trinity and the deity of Christ against Emlyn’s denial of them.
In 1710, he debated with a Deist named Peter Annet at Wrexham. Deists emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially in England, France, and America, during the scientific revolution and the Enlightenment. They rejected orthodox Christianity and its reliance on revelation and religious authority, and instead believed that reason and observation of nature were sufficient to establish the existence and attributes of God. They believed that God created the world and then left it to operate under the natural laws he had devised, without intervening in human affairs or performing miracles. They also believed that God was not a personal being who could be worshipped or prayed to, but rather a distant and impersonal first cause or architect of the universe. They emphasized natural religion, moral life, and human freedom. Henry defended the credibility of Christianity and the reliability of Scripture against Annet’s skepticism and naturalism.
Arminianism is a theological movement that originated in the 16th century by Jacobus Arminius, a Dutch Reformed theologian who challenged some of the doctrines of Calvinism. Arminians - in general - believe that God's grace is universal and resistible, that human free will is compatible with God's sovereignty, that election and condemnation are based on God's foreknowledge of human faith or unbelief, that Christ died for all people, and that believers can fall from grace by apostasy.
And finally, Antinomianists believe that Christians are freed by grace from the necessity of obeying the Mosaic law or any other ethical rules, and that the good life flows from the inner working of the Holy Spirit.
Henry’s debates were marked by observers as relying on sound reasoning, solid Scriptural evidence, and courteous manners. He aimed to convince his opponents of the truth rather than to win an argument. He also prayed for their conversion and salvation. The wide breadth of his debate opponents demonstrates the grasp that Henry had of the faith and his ability to reason the scriptures.
Henry’s most enduring legacy is his Commentary on the Whole Bible, which he began writing in 1704 at the request of some friends. It is a six-volume work that covers every verse from Genesis to Revelation with concise explanations, cross-references, illustrations, and applications. It is written in plain language that anyone can understand and appreciate. Henry’s commentary has been widely used by Christians of all denominations for over three centuries. It has influenced many famous preachers such as George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, John Wesley, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones. It has also inspired countless believers to study God’s Word more deeply and apply it more faithfully to their lives. There are plenty of sources where you can access Henry's commentaries - both online and in print. The most commonly used for me is at blueletterbible.org.
Henry did not live to finish his commentary. In June of 1714 he was journeying to London to preach. He was thrown from his horse on the journey but did not think he'd been injured. He had a preaching engagement at Nantwich, on the way to London, and he kept it. It was evident to all in the audience that something was wrong. Afterward, Henry reported that he felt very heavy and very sleepy. During the night he suffered two strokes and died the next morning at 8 am on June 22nd, 1714 at age 51.
Before he died before he'd finished his commentary from Genesis to Acts. After his death colleagues and friends completed his work from Romans to Revelation using his notes and writings. His commentaries weren't his only published work. Among many, many sermons and treatises are works like A Method for Prayer, The Pleasantness of a Religious Life, and many others. Matthew Henry was indeed a giant of the faith who left behind a rich treasure of biblical wisdom for generations to come.
Thanks very much for listening. Until next time, God bless.
RESOURCES
Banner of Truth: https://banneroftruth.org/us/about/banner-authors/matthew-henry/#:~:text=He%20began%20work%20on%20his,Henry's%20own%20notes%20and%20writings.
Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/
Bible Portal: https://bibleportal.com/commentary/mhc
MatthewHenry.org https://www.matthewhenry.org/about/who-is-matthew-henry/
Quaker.org: https://quaker.org/the-inner-light/
Challies: https://www.challies.com/articles/the-puritans-matthew-henry/
Intro Music: Country Strumstick Mountain Hop, by Andy Slater